Eagles Defenders Prepare For Dual Threat, Cam Newton
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's hard to believe some were once labeling Cam Newton a bust.
The Panthers' quarterback struggled in his second season after an explosive rookie year in 2011. However, Newton quickly got back on track and is now off to one of his best starts ever. He has led the Panthers to a 5-0 start with both his arms and his legs, and Eagles Defensive Coordinator Billy Davis knows his defense will have its hands full on Sunday.
"He's really running the offense at a high rate right now," said Davis. You're going to get your runs from him, which is unique to the NFL. You're going to get about eight to ten runs from him that you have to prepare for, but probably more impressively is how he has kind of settled into the passing game. He's not making mistakes. He's taking what you give him, and he's moving the ball a little bit."
In addition to his passing performances, Newton has kept teams off-balance with his ability to move the ball on the ground. Newton has rushed for 225 yards in five games, forcing defenses
to make unique adjustments each week. Defensive Tackle Fletcher Cox knows getting Newton to the ground won't be easy on Sunday.
"I played against him in college and he's a big boy," Cox said. "It's going to take a few people to bring him down. He's just so tall and he's 245-pounds."
The Eagles had little trouble bringing Newton down last season. The defense racked up nine sacks in a 45-21 victory. However, Linebacker Connor Barwin says this is a much different Carolina team and looking at last year's game tape will do little to help the Eagles this year.
"It won't mean much," said Barwin. "It's last year. They've pretty much got a whole new offensive line. Cam was a little bit banged up last year and we played at the Linc last year. There's not a lot to take from that game last year."
If the Eagles can find a way to slow down Newton, they'll have a chance to hand the Panthers their first loss of the season. That is easier said than done for the Eagles defense. Safety Malcolm Jenkins has seen plenty of Newton over the years, and knows he has the ability to turn a busted play into a game-breaking touchdown.
"You could put my grandmother out there and have her run around," Jenkins said. "If she's got six seconds, she might catch it. It's really hard to cover somebody for that long so if he can extend the play, that's when big plays happen."
